Groton passes one wind farm-related article, rejects another

By DAN SEUFERTUnion Leader CorrespondentMarch 16. 2013 5:27PMGROTON – Voters approved a $619,411 operating budget and passed all but one warrant article at Town Meeting on Saturday.

Article 27 was one of only two articles voted down. The measure would have designated the historic 1771 Dartmouth College Road, known as Province Road, as a scenic road.

Voters approved Article 3, spending $96,000 for repair/reconstruction of a portion of North Groton Road.

By secret ballot, voters also decided on two wind farm-related articles.

By a vote of 28-21, voters defeated Article 28, which asked the town to require the board of selectmen and/or the planning board to suspend all negotiations and/or planning relative to commercial wind turbines until the state updates its Energy Master Plan. An amendment to the article passed, but the article ultimately failed when it came to a vote, according to Selectman Miles Sinclair.

By a vote of 25-22, voters approved Article 29, which would require all wind energy facilities that may come to be located in the town to post security in the form of cash or bond, prior to initiating construction, in order to cover the costs of removing all of the facility upon ceasing operations for a period of more than 12 months, with the amount to be determined by an independent engineer.